Potato slicer having a stationary wire grid and a reciprocating plunger



Oct. 5, 1948. w. H. SCHMITT POTATO SLICER HAVING A STATIONARY WIRE GRID AND A RECIPROCATING PLUNGER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 18, 1946 E I f////////l////// INVENTOR, MLU/.W 5MM/77 ATTD RN EYE frame 2.

Patented Oct. 5, 1948 POTATO SLICER HAVING A STATIONARY WIREV GRID AND A RECIPROCATING PLUNGER William H. Schmitt, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application November 18, 1946, Serial No. 710,584

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements inV machines for cutting potatoes, and more particularly for cutting potates for French frying.

It is an object of the invention to provide a machine by means of which potatoes can be out at high speed, and properly.

In accordance with the invention a potato is pushed through a cutter, which comprises a plurality of crossed Wires, and after the potato has been cut, the pusher is returned'automatically to its initial position to start to push another potato.

A further object is to provide a potato cutting machine which is simple in operation, with few parts to get out of order, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These and other objects are attained by the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which:

Fig. l is a plan View of a potato cutting machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view of a potato pusher used in the machine.

Fig. 4 is a front view of the machine, partly in section.

Fig. 5 is a view of a potato cutter used in the machine.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, the potato cutting machine is shown to comprise a frame I made of channel steel, the ends of which are attached to the frame 2 of a cutter. The cutter comprises a plurality of thin steel wires at right angles to each other, the wires being stretched by screws 3. (See Fig. 5.) The frame I rests on legs 5, which are supported by a base 6. A bracket 4 mounted on the base 6 supports one end of a shaft 8 which has a threaded portion 1 in mesh with a half nut I2. Fixed to shaft 8 is a small gear 9 in mesh with a large gear I0 which is rotated by a crank II.

Projecting from each side of the nut I2 are arms I 3, having at their ends rollers I4 which move in the channel frame I. Connected pivotally to the arms I3 are bars I5 which are pivotally connected at I6 to short bars I1, the latter being attached to a pusher plate I8.

In operation, the potato is placed on a small platform I9, and by turning the crank II, the potato is pushed through the cutting wires in When the cutting wires have been reached by pusher plate I8, a spring 2| in the channel frame, lifts the bar I5 to raise the nut I2 from engagement with the threaded shaft portion l. The rollers are then raised to a position on ribs 2D in the channel frame, and nut I2 and bars I5 are drawn by springs 22 through the upper portion 29 of the channel back to their initial position in the lower portion 30 of the channel to push Yanother potato, a curvular pathway 3I interconnecting the upper and lower portions of the channel for this purpose.

It will be seen that the automatic return of the pusher plate to its initial position to push a potato greatly speeds the operation of the machine, as the operator is only concerned with the pushing ofthe potato and does not have to waste time in returning the pusher plate to a starting position. vThe machine is simple in operation and positive, with few parts to get out of order. It can be easily operated by inexperienced persons to provide potatoes properly cut for French frying. y

The above description is to be considered as illustrative and not limitative of the invention of which modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claim.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

A device of the character described comprising a substantially rectangular horizontally extending frame having a channel formed in the inner face of each of the longer sides thereof, avertically extending cutter affixed at one end of the frame, an interrupted rib formed in each of the channels and forming upper and lower portions in each of said channels, a longitudinally extending threaded shaft pivotally and centrally disposed in said frame, a half-nut normally engaging the shaft, an operating handle for the shaft,

`outwardly extending arms carried by the half nut,

a roller pivotally mounted at the outer end of each arm and normally disposed in the lower portions of the channels, a pusher having an armv at each side thereof, a link interconnecting each of the pusher arms with an arm carried by the half-nut, springs interconnecting the half-nut arms and the frame to normally urge the pusher away from the cutter, a spring for automatically moving the rollers from the lower portions of the channels to the upper portions thereof through the interrupted ribs when said pusher is adjacent the cutter and gravity-operated means for returning the rollers to the lower portions of the channels when the pusher has been removed away from the cutter by the springs interconnecting the Pumphrey Aug. 21, 1877 Name Date Mosca. June 3, 1919 Taylor et a1 Dec. 25, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain May 26, 1947 Great Britain Aug. 11, 1938 

